Exodus 2-3, Identity Crisis with Russell Burrell
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Like I said, it's going to be the book of Exodus that checking second chapter and we're going to be looking at versus 11 through 15 versus 23 through 25.
And we're going to conclude.
In chapter three of Exodus with verses one through 4, the title of today's message is identity crisis.
But before we get started, I'm open with a story that I want you guys to listen to and as it released to our.
Study this morning. It's called the living Bible. His name is Bill, his hair. He has wild hair, wears AT shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes. This was literally literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant.
Condo per pound and very very bright.
He became a Christian while attending college across the street from the campus.
Is a well dressed, very conservative church.
They wanted to develop a ministry to the students, but I'm not sure how to go about it.
One day Bill decides to go there.
He walks in with no shoes, his jeans, his T shirt and wild hair.
The service has already started and so bills starts down the aisle looking for a seat.
The church is completely packed and he can't find one, but now people are really looking looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.
Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit.
And when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right in the middle on the carpet.
But now that people are really uptight and the tension in the air is very thick.
About this time, the Minister realizes that from way at the back of the church a Deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill.
Now the Deacon is in his 80s.
He has silver grey hair and their three piece suit on a godly man.
Very elegant and very dignified.
He walks with a cane and as he starts walking into this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's about to do.
How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?
It takes a long time for for the man to reach the boy.
The church is utterly, utterly silent except for the clicking of the MANCAIN.
All eyes are focused on him.
You can can't even hear anyone breathing.
The ministry can't even preach the sermon until the Deacon does what he has to do.
And now they see this elderly man dropped his cane on the floor with great difficulty.
He lowers himself and six and sits down next to Bill and worships with him.
So he won't be alone.
Everyone chokes up with emotion.
When the Minister gains control, he says when I'm about to preach, you would never remember.
Which you have just what you have just seen.
You would never forget.
Then he concludes and said, be careful how you live.
You may be the only Bible.
Some people who will ever read.
Let's open in prayer gas.
My father as we begin your study this morning, we ask that you enlighten us.
That you encourage us with the award.
That you direct us with your words.
My father, we ask that.
We be about doing the things that you would have us to do and not the things of this world.
We thank you for this time together.
We thank you for a place that come and have service this morning and we ask that you bless the service today and our honor and glory goes to you.
It's in our son, Jesus Christ.
In your son, Jesus Christ name we pray Lord Amen.
Today's study guide is going to be a topical message in nature.
You see, any time Pastor Gary?
Asked me to teach.
Always ask him, you know, pretty much the same thing as it.
Is there anything in particular you would like me to teach upon?
And Jerrod response is usually the same all the time.
He said whatever the Lords places on your heart.
Often times.
When I'm reading the Bible.
God would he would.
He would put something on my heart and a.
A lot of times I say you know, one day that'll make a pretty good message.
And I start usually jotting down some notes, putting some scriptures together.
Kind of like laying the foundation of a message and I got like, oh man, taunted these things, you know.
And then when I usually begin reviewing some of my notes are praying about what type of message God wants me to give.
The message begins to develop and I start putting to putting it together, but this message guys, it wasn't quite like this.
I got this message probably at the beginning of the week around Monday or something Tuesday.
I mean God so that landed on my heart.
The title of the message.
And I must admit, in the beginning it.
It was a bit difficult for me to put this message together due to its nature.
You know, some people may hear it and kind of bristle at it.
We hear it.
And hopefully they probably take it to heart.
My intention this morning is not to offend anyone.
But to simply give you.
The word of God as I believe he has given it to me today.
When I was thinking about and contemplating this message, the portion of Scripture that came to me was in the Book of Hebrews Chapter 4, verse 12, very familiar portion of Scripture that says for the word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword piercing, piercing, even to the division and.
Of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow.
And is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart's.
So with that said, guys, as I said today's message it's entitled identity crisis.
And hopefully you guys have all made it to the Book of Exodus.
You know it's a second book in the Bible.
Like I say, we're going to be looking at Chapter 2 and a little bit of Chapter 3, so let's read our portion together this morning, beginning in Chapter 2.
We're going to be looking at first of all vertices left verses 11 through 15 and it says verse 11.
Now it came to pass in those days when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren, and he looked at their burdens, and he saw in Egypt Egyptian beating a Hebrew one of his.
Brethren, so he looked this way in that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hit him in the sand.
And when he went out the second day, Behold, 2 Hebrew men were fighting.
And he said to the one who did the wrong, why are you striking your companion?
Then he said, who made you a Prince and a judge over us?
Did you, do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?
So Moses feared and said, surely this thing is known.
Verse 15.
When fairer heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses.
But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian, and he sat down by well.
At this stage in his life.
Moses was facing an identity crisis of his own.
But before we get into that, you might be asking yourself what exactly is an identity crisis?
And when God gave me this message I, I mean the title of this message.
That said the same thing.
I wanted to know what it, in particular you know, I got my ideas of what it was, but I wanted to find out exactly how it was defined.
Now, today speaking in secular terms.
You hear a lot of people might refer to as at a midlife crisis.
For example, you know you can be like an old geezer and you still trying to dress like you in your 20s or something.
You know you.
You know you could be saying you're going through a midlife crisis, or again, you can be an older person.
You trying to date someone that 30 or 40 years her junior?
You know trying to relive the glory days of your life, so to speak.
You want to try to regain that youthful appearance that you once had, so you start investing in having plaques, plastic surgery done.
Things to that nature and you know, the list could go on and on, but I think you kind of pretty much get the picture.
But for us as believers, I think it goes a lot deeper than that.
I found the following two definitions regarding regarding an identity crisis and it goes like this.
The first one said it's a period, a period of uncertainty and confusion and wishing, in which a person sense of identity becomes insecure.
Typically due to a change in their expected aims or role in society.
The second definition that I came across was pretty much the same with a little bit of variations in it, and it said you are questioning.
Who you are?
Overall, or with regards to a certain life aspect, such as a relationship.
Age akarere or you could be experiencing great personal conflict due to a major event which has taken place in your life.
For example a divorce.
Recent retirement you know you've been working on a job 2030 or 40 years and then all of a sudden you find yourself retired and you kind of like lose your identity. You're not sure who you are anymore.
It could be something as simple as transitioning from from your childhood to to adopt to it.
You know, all of us have been there.
Pretty much you know you graduate from high school.
You said OK now what or you graduate from college and you say the same thing?
Now what do I do?
Who AM?
I what am I supposed to be doing?
It could be a tragic loss.
Of a loved one.
In your life.
And a lot of us.
Within our own body, have experienced that lately.
Now this one is probably going to hit a lot of people directly in the face.
Especially in a day and age that we're living in.
It could be when your particular candidate of choice does not win even winning an election.
And you think, Oh no, the whole world is falling apart?
This man should have been in office or she should have been in office.
What are we going to do now?
I think our opening story concerning a young man in the church.
And our scripture text this morning concerning Moses could serve as two prime examples.
Of an identity crisis.
In our story this morning that I read, it is not the young man who entered the church in the tattered clothing.
With the identity crisis.
It was some of the people within the congregation with it.
With the exception probably of the old Deacon that went down there and sat with him, and probably the pastor.
And in our text this morning, it's not the Hebrew men mentioned in the text with the identity crisis.
But it was Moses at this early stage in his life with the identity crisis.
In both cases, I think it involved people being pretentious.
And thinking more highly of themselves.
Than of others.
Whenever we are faced with an identity crisis in our lives, we are forced to ask ourselves some questions.
Especially if we're believers.
You want to say well what is the will of God for me in this situation in my life?
How would God have me to respond or address this particular situation in my life?
Or am I depending on God or my own abilities?
Concern in this particular situation in my life.
I think it's crucial that we address these questions correctly as believers.
So that we are properly representing our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
By living a life that is pleasing to him.
And in so doing, if we do this, people around us will observe our conduct.
They would look and see how we respond to certain issues and in circumstances that they take place in our lives.
And hopefully.
These individuals.
Would be affected in a positive way rather than in a negative way.
Anything that is going on in our lives.
When you are faced with an identity crisis as a believer.
You would either.
Spread the sweet aroma of Christ to others around you.
You would spread your own file and tossed toxic stench to those around you.
That could alienate.
People from coming to Christ.
And or it can create turmoil within the body of Christ.
If you're doing the latter.
Your face with an identity crisis.
In your life as a believer, the Bible tells us clearly that we should let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our father in heaven.
Paul goes on to tell us in the book of First Corinthians.
He puts it like this, and the 10th chapter he said whatever you do.
Do all to the glory of God.
Give no offense either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the Church of God.
Just as I also please all men in all things not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many that they may be saved.
As I stated earlier.
We're going to see from our text this morning that Moses was in an identity crisis at this point in his life.
As we turn back to our portion of Scripture in verses 11 and 15.
We know that Moses was at the pinnacle of power at this point in his life.
Socially, economically, politically speaking.
He was on the top.
He was the adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter.
With all the economic wealth, the social standing and political power that comes with such a position.
Probably next in line to be the.
Pharaoh of Egypt.
One of their most most powerful nations in the world at this particular time.
But we also see from our text that Moses was facing a dilemma in his life.
He had killed an Egyptian.
For beating one of his fellow Hebrew brothers.
And his crime of murder had been found out.
See, Moses did what most of us do when we're faced with in an identity crisis in our lives, and we try to address it apart from the will of God.
We usually
React impossibly.
By saying or doing something that is wrong.
At the time.
Then we find ourselves like Moser towards being afraid, being scared and often times we find ourselves running away.
Instead of running to God.
You see, Mosin knew he was.
A Hebrew by birth.
But he had been placing this exhausted position.
Of an Egyptian of an Egyptian by adoption.
He knew his Hebrew brothers and sisters were being mistreated.
Bob, Egyptians.
And he knew he had to do something he knew within his heart that he wanted to do something. But instead of looking to God and seeking God's will.
Moses, at this point in his life relied upon himself.
He took matters into his own hand.
And acted according to his own will.
And did what he thought was right at the time.
Verse 11 and 12 clearly tells us, as it says in verse 11.
Again, now it came to pass in those days when motions was grown that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating, a Hebrew one of his brethren.
So he looked this way in that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian.
And hit him in the sand, the scripture says.
Moses looked to the right and he looked to the left and he made a decision on what he would do at that particular time.
But if it got to look up to God and ask God what he wanted him to do.
He attempted to create change for his people to his own efforts.
Apart from God will and God way.
Thinking he was right because of who he was.
At this time.
The book of Acts in the 7th chapter give us a little bit more detail on this particular episode in Moses Life in motion sensor life.
I should say.
Acts Chapter 7, verse 22 says, and Moses were learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.
The inverse 25 said for he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand.
But they did not understand.
Why didn't?
These Hebrews understand at this particular time and accept Moses.
As said as their deliverer.
It's simple because Moses was out of the will of God.
He would dealing with an identity crisis in his life at this time, as I stated, as it pertained to the.
Will of God.
Doctor McGee in his commentary on this particular portion of Scripture puts it this way. He said. Moses training in Egypt, evidently in the temple in the temple of the Sun. That's SUN.
Did not prepare him to follow God in leading Israel out of Egypt.
Doctor McGee goes on further to say that it would take God, giving him talking about Moses Abd degree. A backside of the desert degree to prepare him according to God's will.
What a picture this paints for us this morning as believers.
Whereas Moses.
Killed the Egyptian physically.
We as believers today.
Slay each other emotionally and spiritually speaking.
On, uh, rather consistent basis.
By looking to the left.
And to the right.
Politically speaking.
And not to God.
Weasley, our fellow brothers and sisters via social media and life in general, with our words and with our deeds.
Then we attempt to cover it up.
Under the cloak of Christianity.
Be careful when you are using gods words to accomplish your own agenda.
And not his.
You can find yourself being used by the enemy, which are very rude words and your actions remember the devil.
Our adversary.
Is very good as quoting and using Scripture.
In attempt to get his.
We'll accomplished.
Recall I use scriptures with the temptation of Adam and Eve when they was in the Garden of Eden.
And his attempted.
Temptation of Christ in the wooded wilderness.
But quoting and using Scripture, even honestly, I might add he wasn't using it in a proper content like many of us do today.
And just as Moses attempted to cover his wrong by bearing Egyptian body under this, and we can do the same thing by attempting to justify our wrong actions, like I said, under the disguise of Christianity.
And as a result.
Many of us within the body of Christ.
Have developed an identity crisis as it pertains to our walk as believers.
We have become believers that act and respond to what we think is right.
Based upon our own.
Political affiliations our own cultural, social or racial beliefs.
Instead of the word of God.
We have debased.
By letting CNN.
And Fox News become our gospel.
Instead of the word of God.
Willing to listen and believe anything that these people may say on these particular networks in order to bolster or enhance.
Our political or social ilia logies and beliefs.
With little to no where God.
To what the word of God says.
God have mercy on us as a body.
Of Christ
Because we are in an identity crisis like Moses was at this particular time in his life.
And a lot of us don't even realize it.
And because we as a church have found ourselves in this identity crisis.
The world around us.
It's not even sure who we are anymore.
Because we have compromised the things of God.
And I'll walk with God.
In it, in an attempt to justify our social and no.
And or political beliefs and agendas as I stated.
Not realizing.
That people.
I leaving this earth each and every day.
Without hand the gospel.
But you know, many of us have turned a blind eye to this.
Because we take comfort in the fact that.
Hey, I'm standing up for what I believe in socially and politically speaking.
Regardless of how it affects.
Another person's life.
Regardless of.
Like I said.
How people are dying every day without hearing the Gospel of Christ, but no big deal, as long as they know where I stand politically long as they know where I saying socially, I'm OK with that.
That's the attitude we have taken.
James, 44, puts, says said, do you not? Do you not know that friendship with the world? It's imoti with God?
Whoever therefore, wants to be a friend of this world makes himself an enemy of God.
Then the apostle John in the first in his book First John Chapter 2 says, and the world.
It's passing away and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Now don't misunderstand me and get me wrong by this teaching guys.
I believe we as believers should faithfully carry out our civic duty.
Aspen leaders
We should study the platforms.
We should study the individuals that are running for office and then make a conscious effort to vote our conscience and what?
God would have us to do.
I'm not telling you not to do that.
But we should not get all bent out of shape when things don't go our way.
According to what we want to happen.
Well, we get into all bent out of shape like that.
Jesus said in this world.
Yep, I mean I'm sorry he said in the book of John.
He said the world hates you.
Understand that it hated me first.
And he said a surfing is not a servant is not greater than his master's. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
This world guys.
It's not our home.
We only pilgrims.
Transitioning through here, not saying by me saying that I'm not saying that we shouldn't do all that we can do while we're here, but we need to make sure we have our priorities straight.
Concerning what the will of God is.
Some of us should remember the words of God when he spoke to Pharaoh.
When we find ourselves getting all bent out of shape on worldly affairs on political situation that that might be taking place.
Listen to the words of God to pharaoh.
In Exodus 916, he said, but indeed, for this purpose I have raised you up that I may show you.
Ma'am, miss I'm sorry that I may show my power in you and that my name may be declared in all the earth.
We need to remember these words.
We need to remember this portion of Scripture that God is ultimately in control and no matter what his will will be accomplished.
Therefore, our main priority as believers today, it too is to exemplify the love of Christ to those around us and to present the gospel to a lost and dying world.
And if this is not Jeff priority as a believer.
This morning
I tell you again.
You are in an identity crisis on who you are as a believer in Christ.
Jesus told his disciples go therefore and make disciples.
Of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, the son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.
He did not tell them to go and make disciples of the Roman government.
Or in our case, he's not telling us to go and make disciples.
Of the Democratic or Republican Party.
He said you will be my witnesses.
In Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends.
Of the earth.
Application for us today.
We should be his witnesses.
To those in our neighborhoods, in our workplaces, in our cities, in our towns and our states, in the very country that we live in, or anywhere in the world, we may find ourselves.
We should be witnesses.
To our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Again, Apostle John puts it this way in first son.
Behold, what manner of love the father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God.
Can others?
Really look at you and me.
And know that we are a child of God.
By our words and our actions today.
One person put it like this and I like this quote.
This is a quote from an unbeliever.
And he made this comment after carefully observing the life of a devout believer, he that he knew, he put it this way, he said, I don't know much about that man's religion.
But if I ever get religion, I want him.
I want his religion.
Again, I ask.
Can the same statement?
Be made about us.
If someone is carefully examining our lives, that's believers.
If not.
I stayed, I say it again within identity crisis as it relates to our walk with God today.
But wait a minute, you know all is not lost.
If we have found ourselves in this position today.
Just as it was not all lost samosas at this particular time in his life, there is hope.
There is a chance of redemption for God to restore and to use us according to his power.
Now let's Fast forward 40 years into the future and look at what happened when Moses turned to the Lord in the median desert.
Instead of acting up on his own.
Uh, when he acted upon his own will, I should say earlier in life.
We back into.
Chapter Exodus 2 and we're going to be looking at the final three verses in this chapter, starting with verse 23.
It says now it happened in the process of time that the King of Egypt died.
Then the children of Israel grown because of their ******* and they cried.
Held in that crowd came up to God because of the ******* So God heard their groaning and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jake.
And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them. Verse 25 says.
Notice the similarities in the contrast between these last three verses in this chapter and those found earlier in chapter in.
In the verses of 11 and 15 that we read.
Earlier we saw in Chapter 7, verses 11 and 12, it said now it came to pass in those days that Moses went out and saw he saw what.
Like I said, he sold the abuse that the Hebrew that his Hebrew brothers were experiencing by the hands of the Egyptians and upon seeing this.
As I stated earlier, he decided to address and correct the problem.
Through his own efforts.
And through his own will.
Which resulted in chaos in his life at that particular time. But here in versus 23 through 25 it says starting with verse 23.
Now it happened in the process of time that God heard the cry of the Hebrews.
So God heard their groaning and God remember his covenant.
Not only did God here.
The pain and the suffering that the GIF image that the user lights were suffering at the hands of the egyptian's, but he remembered.
He remembered his promises.
To their forefathers, to Abraham, to Isaac to Jacob.
And just like he remembered his promise to those guys, he remembers his promises to us as believers today.
The Bible says, he says I would never leave you.
Or forsake you.
It test tells us in all our ways we should acknowledge him.
And he would direct our path.
Verse 25 goes on to say at the end of this chapter and God looked upon the children of Israel and God acknowledged them.
I like the way the new international version puts this.
Find a portion of skipped you when it in verse 25. I should say it said God.
Where would new King James and God acknowledged them?
The new international version said God was concerned about them.
Now Moses.
And his identity crisis may have messed up.
Earlier in his life and here 40 years later.
He may have even forgotten about his Hebrew brothers and sisters that were still in ******* in Egypt.
But God has not forgotten them.
And now there had he forgotten about Moses?
After we share us, we will see shortly.
And listen.
He has not forgotten about us.
When we find ourselves in an identity crisis in our lives.
Because, like the new international version says he's concerned about us.
Just like he was concerned about the issue lights at that time.
As we turn to our final portion of Scripture.
In Exodus Chapter 3.
Looking at the 1st 4 verses it says.
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro, his father.
Father in law.
I'm sorry, the priest of Midian and he led to flock to the backs of the desert and came to Horeb the mountain of God.
And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and a flame of fire from the midst of a Bush.
So he looked, and behold.
The Bush was burning with fire, but the Bush was not consumed.
Then Moses said, I would now turn aside and see this great site.
What a Bush does not burn.
Verse 4.
So when the Lords saw that he turned us out to look, God called out to him from the midst of the Bush, and said, Moses Moses.
And he said here I am.
Now in this last portion of Scripture.
We see that the Lord had turned his attention to Moses.
Notice God came looking for Moses.
And not the other way around.
It says in verse two and the Angel of the Lord appeared to him Speaking of Moses.
And we know that.
When the Bible speaks of the Angel of the Lord is Speaking of no other person.
In the pre incarnated person of Christ at this particular time in the Old Testament.
Then in verse four says now when the Lord saw.
That he turned us out to look.
God called to him in the midst of the Bush, and said, Moses Moses, and he said, Lord, here I am.
Again, what a picture we have here.
The Almighty God seeking out Moses.
After his failures and mistakes 40 years earlier.
In, in, in in Egypt.
God came looking for him.
But this but this time I should say we did not see Moses looking to the left and to the right.
But instead he's looking to God and acknowledging.
Who he is.
And in so doing, when God called out to him, when God came looking for him, Moses humbly replied and said, Lord, here I am.
That portion of Scripture reminds me.
Of that verse in the Book of Psalms.
That says.
What is man?
That thou a mindful of him.
Or the son of man that you would visit him.
It gives me great joy to know that the.
God of this universe.
Seeks us out.
In the same way.
When we find ourselves in the midst of an identity crisis and I walk with him.
All we got to do is simply turn to him.
Acknowledge our wrongdoings.
Acknowledge our shortcomings.
Acknowledge our failures and say Lord here I am here I am.
Not trying to justify.
Who we are or what we are or what we've done.
But simply coming to him and saying, Lord here I am.
I know I messed up but here I am.
And you will see.
That the Lord will restore.
He will use you just where you are.
The Book of Isaiah and the 59th chapter verse one says.
This is the new living translation.
That I'm reading from here, it says, listen, the Lord's arm is not too weak to save you.
Nor is his ear too deaf to hear your call.
And then again in numbers 1123.
And this is the amplified version from the amplified Bible.
I should say version that this particular versus Scripture says.
The Lord said to Moses, as the Lords hand his ability, his power becomes short or inadequate.
You should see now.
Whether my word should come to pass for you or not?
Turn to the lower Nancy.
What he will do?
For you and for me, how he can help us, how he can restore us, how he can use us for his good purpose.
But in so doing he want us to be about his business.
He want us to be about accomplishing his will according to his plan and not our own.
And sharing the good news of the gospel and the love of God and the love of God to those around us.
You see?
God, good news.
The gospel is available to everybody.
We don't have, you know, a monopoly on this.
Just because we are believers.
It's available to everybody.
We need to stop debasing and destroying one another with our worldly rhetoric and the wisdom of this world.
Thinking that somehow we're better or worse special than another person.
Because of who we think we are.
Because we're not.
Does not make us any better than anyone else.
If anything, it makes us more accountable.
To those around us.
To ensure others know about the saving grace of God.
Luke 1248 puts it this way to whom much is given.
Much is required.
Again, I quote Doctor McGee.
One of my favorite favorite commentary commentators.
Doctor McGee says and only the way he can put it, he said.
We're all dirty and lowdown centers.
And that's what we are.
The only difference between them and us talking about an unbeliever is that we have come to the saving.
Uh, grace and knowledge of Christ.
And we've accepted it.
It doesn't make us any better than anyone else.
Anytime you think that you're special, or that, oh because I'm a believer, I'm up here and other people are down here.
Just remember the story of in Luke 18 or the Pharisee.
And the tax collector.
You remember?
Both men were praying, evidently standing next to each other, and the Pharisee began his prayer by saying God.
I thank you that I'm not like other men.
Unjust and he went on to four name a litany litany of other individuals.
Then he said, and like this tax collector standing next to me.
What does the Bible say?
The tax collector did?
It says he didn't even look up.
But he beat up on.
His chest and say God.
And this is my free all the time, because I know the way I can be.
Have mercy.
Upon me as a center.
That's what we should be doing.
You can take the attitude of the ferrocene.
And think that hey, I'm Jeff because I'm saved.
I'm better than these people remember what Jesus said after that prayer.
He said, I tell you that this tax collector.
Went away justified in the eyes of God.
Over this Pharisee so-called righteous man.
Billy Graham said this once.
He said if you want to know the measure of your love for God.
Just observe.
Your love for your fellow man.
Our compassion for others.
It's an accurate gauge.
Of our devotion to God.
Then he went on to say, said Lord God, fear my heart that I may love with the compassion of Jesus.
This should be our prayer.
Our mindset as believers.
So that we may be about the business.
That God wants us to be about and not this world.
Jesus said I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day.
For the night is coming when no one can work.
If we make this our goal as believers.
Of spreading the love of Christ and giving out the good news of the gospel, we would not develop and have an identity crisis in our walk as believers.
So I ask each of you.
As we begin to close this morning and I asked myself.
As the Bible says, let us examine ourselves.
To see if.
We are in the will of God.
With our ultimate goal bid.
No one Christ and making him known.
And again, as Doctor McGee would say, taking the.
Whole word to the whole world.
I want to conclude this morning about reading you one other story.
And the title of this story is called.
Balls of clay.
Listen to what it says it says.
A man was exploring caves by the seashore, and one of the caves.
He found a canvas bag with a bunch of Harding clay balls.
It would like someone had rolled clay balls and left their mountain their son to bake.
They didn't look like much.
But they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of The Cave with him as he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time, out into the ocean.
As far as he could.
He thought a little bit about it until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock.
Was a beautiful precious stone.
Excited, the man started breaking, opening the remaining clay balls each contain a similar treasure.
He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left.
Then it struck him.
He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 6:50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasures into the ocean waves instead of thousands of dollars in treasures he could have had taken home 10s of thousands.
But he had just thrown it away.
It's like that with people we look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel.
It doesn't look like much from the outside.
It isn't always beautiful, beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it.
We see that person that's less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy.
But we have not taken the time to find to find the treasure inside.
Hidden inside that person, I should say.
There's a treasure in each and every one of us.
If we take the time to get to know that person and if we ask God to show us that person the way he sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant brilliant gem begins to shine forth.
May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a forced a fortune in friendships?
Or I like going to add insoles.
Because the gems are hidden in their bit in bits of clay.
May we see people in our world as God sees there?
Remember those two stories this morning, guys?
The story about the young man who walked into the church.
Not looking like he should be looking by come when he attended church.
And the people kind of look down their noses at him and then remember this final story.
You know the Bible tells us that we're basically clay with, you know that's what we are.
So when you look at another person.
And you deem that they're not worthy you deem that there beneath me, or I don't want to have nothing to do with that person.
Realize what you may be throwing away.
That's a believer.
Every person has worth.
Every person has the opportunity.
I should be given the opportunity to hear the gospel.
You think?
When a person comes to the.
End of their life.
And if they're on their deathbed.
And you had the opportunity to share the gospel or share your political views to him.
Do you think they're gonna really be concerned about who's president, who was elected president?
Who wasn't elected president when they facing eternity without Christ?
I don't think so.
Remember who we are as believers and what kind of word we should be putting forth out there to those in this world as as believers.
And not our.
Own tossed toxic foul stench, as I said.
I pray to God, get grant us the wisdom, the discernment, the love, the compassion that grace to show to others that he has shown to us.
And that we may not forget who we are and what he saved us from.
I'd usually don't do this.
'cause I when I used the clothes in prayer I just pray what I think God you know lace up on my heart but as I was preparing this message.
He, like I said when he gave me this message as I came to the conclusion and I was reading over it again last night.
He I was prompted to to to write down a prayer.
So as we close in prayer this morning, I'm gonna read a prayer that God gave me last night.
I think it was last night or night before last.
He gave it to me OK.
And he said guys, let's pray now.
He said.
I said my Lord, give us a hard not to the to develop any type about identity crisis in our lives as believers teach us to talk, walk and behave in a manner that is pleasing to you and that bring glory to your name.
Grant us the humility and compassion.
To show your love to those around us, regardless of who they maybe without realizing that you have shown the same grace, compassion and love to us.
And you continue to do this on a daily basis.
Give us discernment that we that we will remain vigilant and safe in a world that is filled with evil.
And it's in Christ name, we pray.
Amen.